Unusual case failure, 30-06, what happened?

[crest117]

30-06 brass, Hornady, reloaded twice. Has what appears to be a very small pinhole about three eighths of an inch up from the base with a hairline crack going straight up about an inch and ending with another small pinhole. The two pinholes are slightly scorched as if some hot gas leaked by but I noticed nothing unusual when it was fired, discovered it when reloading. This was a mild load (44 grns H4895 with a 168 grain Hornady bullet, fired in a Ruger American bolt action rifle. Any idea Why?

 

[1KPerDay]

Brittle brass, defect in the brass, who knows? Sometimes you see weird stuff with no clear reason.

 

[wrench459]

I can't see the pin holes or crack from your picture.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

There is no picture -- or is that your point?

 

[Demi-human]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

If the chambers body is on the larger side it may get worked more when sizing. In a fashion that is not like the head seperation ring. Axially in the stead of radially.

Under many thousands of atmospheres strange things happen.

 

[243winxb]

Not common, but happens. Some brass is extruded like tubing. The case head is stamped as a separate piece . Then the 2 are swaged or fastened together. Its not always perfect.

 

[crest117]

I can't see the pin holes or crack from your picture.

Sorry, no camera.

 

[Stumper]

Occasionally, a piece of brass is brittle or perhaps thin on one side. In quality brands early failure is rare. Any source may demonstrate failures after being work hardened through many loadings. Some lots of some brands fail often(which is why some people begin speaking strings of expletives when Amerc brass is mentioned). You probably just got a rare piece that was adequate for its initial use but not much more even though the brand is a quality source.

 

[MEHavey]

defective brass....
big time.

 

[someguy2800]

I would say its most likely a brass defect. I have picked up brass at ranges that look like what you describe but never had it happen to me. What do the primers on your spent rounds look like?

 

[243winxb]

Ruger American bolt action rifle.

If fired brass is larger than .473" there may be a problem with a larger than normal chamber?

 

[crest117]

I would say its most likely a brass defect. I have picked up brass at ranges that look like what you describe but never had it happen to me. What do the primers on your spent rounds look like?

Primers looked normal. several thousand rounds and this is the only time this occured.

 

[Laphroaig]

Hornady 30-06 brass, at least the variety that they use in their Garand ammo, has a bad rep with many shooters that I know. They claim that it is thin and subject to incipient case separations.

I have accumulated a bunch of once fired, have loaded some a second time with no issues, but don't doubt the generally reliable sources that I have heard that from.

Edit: I just remembered some case weight data that I have.

Hornady - 178.5
HXP 70 - 188.5
Lapua - 192.4
Win - 187.3
Lake City - 193.5
Norma - 180.9

The Hornady weighs less than all the other brands except Norma. Take it for what it is worth.

 

[Charlie98]

I've had sort of the same thing happen in my M1a... with LC 04 headstamped brass, specifically. I had three case head fractures... the head actually split right down through the bottom of the case and blew out the magazine. I wound up having to pull the rest of the bullets and scrap that specific headstamp. The consensus was brittle (defective) brass, at least in the case head. I have pics... I'll post as soon as I get them...

 

[1KPerDay]

wow.

 

[tcoz]

The M14/M1A is notoriously hard on brass and case failures after the first reload aren’t uncommon. Most people who handload for this rifle cull the brass after four or five reloads.

 

[RainDodger]

If you can, take a look at your chamber walls. Escaping gas has a detrimental effect... I don't have experience with that particular type of failure, but I've recently had some bad primers that have failed with pinholes in the cup. They ruined the bolt face on a Sako .243. I'm going back and forth with Winchester on it and they have actually offered to pay the cost of my bolt replacement, as I have provided them with the failed primers and a lot number they came from. Look at your chamber though, and see if it's still nice and smooth like it should be.